For more information
about any of our projects
contact Ferdous Rahman: rahmanferdous AT
hotmail.com
***** Every First Monday in October
is Camden National Poetry Day
Themes for each year are set by National Poetry Day.
Postcard Poems are 100 words or less
LEVEL ONE: CREATE A TEMPORARY
PURPLE POETRY TREE BENCH
1. Walk to a park for lunch
2. Find a bench under a tree, share your lunch
3. Tie a purple ribbon or scarf on the bench
4..Read a poem, or recite a poem,
and ask others to recite, too, just for fun!
LEVEL TWO: CREATE A PERMANENT
PURPLE POETRY TREE BENCH
On or before October 1st (International Celebrating the Elderly
Day)
1.Choose a park bench that needs painting
under or around a beautiful tree
2.Ask permission to paint it purple (recommended: Dulux
Velvet Ribbon 2)
3. Paint it with some designated painters (ask your local or poetry group,
or Ecostars, or BTCV for volunteers, if you need help)
4. Make sure no one sits on it for at least 24 hours
5. Let it dry for at least a week before you:
6. Invite everyone to come to make Aria's ice cream together (bring
a spoon!) and have a Pop-Up Picnic and Purple Poetry Party!
--recite your own Postcard Poem about a Childhood Game
or recite your favourite poem, sing a song, tell a
joke, do a dance
ask people to translate the recipe into another language,
to celebrate your Purple Poetry Tree Bench!
7. Do it again next National Poetry Day!
Friends of
The Purple Poets Supporting this project:
2009 Nick Barber
(communal garden consultant, Chenies Street Chambers)
2009 permission and preparation for launch: Geffrey Hill, Gabi
Howard, Karen Hall, Marek Wiluszynski (Camden Parks
and Camden Environment)
October 2009 first poetry reading party by children organised by
Urmi Allim West Euston Time Bank and Third Age Project and Josie Nakos
for Greenlight Pharmacy. Start of project opened
by Margaret, director of the
West Euston Partnership.
03.06.2010 Tom Nandi - The Conservation Volunteers UK
(formerly BTCV) community projects
26.07.2010 Councillor Jonathan Simpson (2010 Mayor of Camden)
24.07.2011 Alison Paule, Paxton Green Time Bank
24.07.2011 Ecostars
16.08.2011 MAKE A DIFFERENCE! csv.org.uk
17.08.2011 individual members of The Poetry Society
20.08.2011 Leyland Paints, Camden Town
(across from MIND IN CAMDEN, where Nick works!)
23.08.2011 Kendrick Street Deli, Stroud, Gloucestershire
22.10.2011 Living Under One Sun
ONE OF OUR ON-GOING PROJECTS,
WRITING POEMS FOR THE ARTIST JO WOnder
Six Days Good-bye Poems to Ophelia'
- film and bacterial painting by JoWOnder
www.jowonder.com
This is an inter-active project
Telephone 0207-183-9366 with your own poem for
Ophelia
ART and
Poetry-in-Progress
Day Four with poems first
shown at the Purple Poets' Camden Heroes
National Poetry Day Celebration
Camden Town Hall
October 8th 2009
Which culture is friendship?
What colour is laughter?
We're one family
And we learn from each other.
by Babushka
Purple Poets -one of a series of three postcards
co-produced with LOPSG for the
2007 Summer Capital Age Festival,
Southbank, London.
Triton Square Festival July 1, 2010
Re-framing Disability
poems-in-progress inspired by the Exhibition
at the Royal College of Physicians
at the invitation of Bridget Telfer
"Wellcome Library: Blind Granny and her kind 14 Apr 2011 ... A new
exhibition Reframing disability has opened at the Royal College of Physicians
in their spectacular building on the south-east corner corner of Regent's
Park. It includes items selected from a collection of prints ranging from
the 17th century to the late 19th century showing people with congenital
physical abnormalities or disabilities. The Wellcome Library has similar
items, and for many of them the new research in the exhibition catalogue
(by Carole Reeves, Julie Anderson and Bridget Telfer) has enabled the Wellcome
Library catalogue entries to be upgraded with new information."
http://wellcomelibrary.blogspot.com/2011/04/blind-granny-and-her-kind.html
UP-COMING
PROJECTS:
Translations
'How To read A Poem'
a special reading/ workshop by William Radice
(Penguin editions translator of the poet Tagore).
date and venue TBA.
www.williamradice.com
International Women's Day
- on-going M.E.A. Rope project:
to restore the Boston Street sign
to its location in Hackney city Farm grounds
to honour the stained glass window
created by M.E.A. Rope for St. Augustine's
Haggerston (now in the Crypt) Saint Leonard Stained Glass
Window
featuring a double-decker bus and little boys
playing cricket on Boston Street, in front of the local pub
OUR ON-GOING PROJECT:(2005)
THE FUTURE ARTS FOR ALL | ACCESS FOR ALL
-- working with local community galleries, libraries and museums
8TH FIELD TRIP (18. 04.2011)
Royal College of Physicians
Re-framing Disability Exhibition
(curator: Bridget Telfer
invited viewing and workshop.
Display of poems at Exhibition 07.06.2011)
6TH FIELD
TRIP (May 2010)
Wellcome Trust Collection
Wellcome Library, Euston Road
to view the 18 century Snakes and Ladders board
in preparation for the Cumberland Market
Midsummer Picnic 2010 projects
(embroidering a Prick Your Fingers Snakes & Ladders square;
postcard poems on the Wellcome Collection)
Our On-Going Projects (start
year: 2009): MAPPING DEMOCRACY
in association with Volunteers from
The Third Age Project and West Euston Time Bank
Camden Federation of Private Tenants
Camden Liaison Group for Physical Disabilities and Visual Impairments
(this project suggests A Model Constitution for
your residents' association.
The Bloomsbury
Purple Poets are:
(please click on a name
to read the poems)
Bernard Miller
novelist
peace activist
took part in the found poetry project 'To All Women'
Purple Poets for Peace Reading
-- April 22nd 2010, Quaker Centre
-- Hiroshima Day August 6th 2010 reading, Tavistock Square
-- CAF Arts Boat Trip Tuesday October 12, 2010
-- Hiroshima Day August 6th 2011 reading,
Tavistock Square
Wendy French
(guest: National Poetry Day, October 2006)
Pam Grant
professional graphic designer
teaches digital photography to Age Concern, Cumbria
(designer, Purple Poets' 2010 NPD poster)
(designer, Purple Poets icon)
blog http://intopics.blogspot.com/
website: www.pamgrant.com
follow Pam on Twitter @pangolin444
Rose Hacker
(Norah Platt Prize Presenter, October 2006)
(guest: 10th Anniversary T.A.P. June 2007)
Miriam Halahmy
took part in the found poetry
Purple Poets for Peace Reading
April 22nd 2010, Quaker Centre
Kim Morrissey
workshop leader for The Purple Poets
(National Poetry Day, October 2006, on-going)
Judge: First Annual Norah Platt Poetry Prize 2006
Purple Poets for Peace Reading,
April 22nd, 2010 Quaker Center
William Radice SPECIAL GUEST: CAMDEN HEROES
International Language Day
(upcoming: January 2010)
www.williamradice.com
Lennox Raphael
(Black History Month Celebration October 2007)
Katja Schmidt
contributed a correction
to an original text and rough translation
in the found poetry
Purple Poets for Peace Reading
April 22nd 2010, Quaker Centre
--and beautiful banners for National Poetry Day
2009, 2010, 2011
Marshal
Seltzer
http://www.cenlyt.com
PROJECT: Webpage Design
Text Accessible webpages
an e-mail conversation
with Cenlyt Designer Marshal Seltzer
Sudeep Sen
(National Poetry Day Virtual Guest, 2006)
Camden Green Fair Guest 2008
www.sudeepsennet.com
Colin Shelbourn
cartoonist and graphic designer
comedy collective UK founding member National Poetry Day posters
2009 and 2010
www.shelbourn.com
follow Colin on Twitter @colinshelbourn
Heather Spears
(poet and artist)
Resource artist for National Portrait Gallery Workshop
(led by Fran Wilde (NPG) and Kim Morrissey
18.03.2010
SPECIAL GUEST:
International Womens' Day Dance
Saturday March 6, 2010
National Poetry Day
Camden writers - sketches - display
upcoming: The Art of Poetry
International Womens' Day
(upcoming: Easter 2010)
www.heatherspears.com
Leslie Wilson
took part in the found poetry
Purple Poets for Peace Reading
April 22nd 2010, Quaker Centre
The Tads (Third Age Project Drama Group)
under the direction of Gary Kielty
take part in Camden National Poetry Day celebrations
(held at the Camden Town Hall).
and the Purple Poets and Peace project 2010.
They meet ever Thursday 10:30 to noon
at the Crypt Centre, Munster Square. London NW1 3PL
Jo WOnder
(multi-media artist)
OUR SPECIAL GUEST
National Poetry Day 2009, 2010, 2011
showing of her video work-in-progress:
'Six Days Good-bye Poems to Ophelia'
(supported by the Wellcome Trust)
Camden Town Hall
-created a collage of Purple Poets Found Poetry
Quaker Peace Testimonies reading
April 22nd 2010 (2:30-4 pm, Quakers Centre, Euston Road)
-Special Guest Artist to accompany the Purple Poets
on the National Portrait Gallery Tour The Indian Portrait 1560-1860 Exhibition
(workshop led by Fran Wilde (NPG) and Kim Morrissey)
18.03.2010, National Portrait Gallery, room 34.
October 9th 2007 WORLD MENTAL
HEALTH DAY
2007: Kim Morrissey, Islam Molla and Nahar Islam read
at the Enfield Mental Health Users (EMU) Celebration
7:30 The Intimate Theatre, 521 Green Lanes,
Palmer's Green, London N13 4DH
HEROES ON POSTCARDS
Camden Town Hall
An Audience With the Mayor of Camden
Councillor Omar Faruque Ansari
2 - 5 in the Camden Town Hall
Council Chamber, Judd Street
Camden Heroes
2009 Purple Poets' poster by
Urmi Alim and cartoonist Colin
Shelbourn
featuring 'Six Day Good-bye Poems to Ophelia a film in progress by artist Jo
WOnder
(bacterial painting)
this project is supported by the Wellcome Trust
Day Four, with poems, including Ophelia, This is Your Mother by Purple Poet Bithi Das
and Ophelia (the person you are calling) by Kim Morrissey
THEME: WORK
"the work of a poet
is to dream." - Kim Morrissey
ON-GOING PROJECT:
THE PURPLE POETS BOOK EXCHANGE BOXES
Scheme launched on
on National Poetry Day 2008 at H-Pod
host: Kim
Morrissey
writer-in-residence, Purple Poets
THEME: IDENTITY
THE PURPLE POETS HOSTED THE
2006 LONDON POETS
READING FOR ALL LONDON S
Diorama 4 Art Gallery
3-7 Euston Centre
Regents Place, London
NW1 3JG
THE PURPLE POETS
READ WITH 12 OTHER
POETRY GROUPS
(all founded with a grant
from the Arts Council's
Big Lottery fund)
host: Karen Lyon
New Economics Foundation
The Poetry Café
22 Betterton Street guest poet: Andrew Motion
"When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter."
Purple is the colour of sorrow; the colour of joy;
the colour of childhood; the color or royalty:
Purple is pink and blue mixed together
the colour of the first flowers of spring
the last fruits before winter
2004 THEME: FOOD
THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROJECT, STARTED in 2005:
POETRY ON A PLATTER
BOOK EXCHANGE BOX LAUNCHES
(WITH READINGS) SO FAR: Fitzrovia
Surgery, Fitzrovia Square, October 13, 2010
Islington Town
Hall with the Mayor of Islington
and Councillors Arthur Graves and David Wilson
National Poetry Day 07.10.2010
CityBeat Radio
Station (UCH),
University College Hospital Radio with Katie Ginger
National Poetry Day 07.10.2010
Hilldrop and
Caledonian Road
at their Open Day July 15, 2009
Surma Centre. Robert
Street, 01.04.2009.
Samuel Lithgow
Centre (at Netley School)
After School Club 05.03.2009.
(World Literacy Day)
BBC Radio Light
Entertainment Department,
Henry Wood House, London, 05.03.2009.
(World Literacy Day)
Pain Management
Clinic Waiting Room,
National Hospital
for Neurology and Neurosurgery,
Queen's Square, London, 05.03.2009.
(World Literacy Day)
Camden Town Hall:
Councillors' Surgeries Waiting Area 05.03.2009.
(World Literacy Day)
Camden Town Hall:
Births, Deaths and Marriages
Registrations Room
05.03.2009
(World Literacy Day)
Saint Lukes' Time
Bank
(at Finsbury Arts Festival) 28.02.2009.
Camden Town Hall:
Staff Cafeteria 27.01.2009.
Camden Town Hall:
Members Room 19.01.2009.
Book Exchange Box
at the Hillwood Resource Centre (Age Concern),
30 Eversholt Street, on 24.10.2008
opened by Deputy Mayor of Camden,
Councillor Omar Faruque Ansari
Book Exchange Box
at The Crypt on 16.10.2008
The official launch
of the first Purple Poets
Book Exchange Box at The H-Pod,
Cumberland Market on
09.10.2008
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: LONDON ARTS EVENTS
(click here to see reviews)
amongst other events: Peter Daniels'
launch of Counting Eggs, RADA, April 27th 2012 Haliburton Evening
(Network Canada) The Pembroke Pub, April 21st 2009 DIVERS
book launch, Pentameters Theatre, June 29th 2008 Louise Bourgeois
Exhibition, Tate Modern, October 2007 - Jan. 2008 Playwright LENNOX
RAPHAEL "The State of Black Theatre"
(panel discussion at 2 p.m. 13.10.2007) WORD POWER FESTIVAL TWO MEN TALKING
June 5 - 23 2007 coffee-house
poetry at the Troubadour (alternate Mondays, on-going)
Our Third Age Project s flow
Washing away the old obstacles
Sadness, prejudice, poverty, woe
Like a stream we flow together
Gathering our friends as we go
Mary Norah Kathy Theresa
Flo
Streams flowing into streams
Like our lives have flown
Into deeper waters
Collecting friends and sharing
Laughing, loving, learning
Remembering joy
We are the guardians
We are the sentries
We are the protectors
We are the stream.
Poets
Collective Poem
performed on National Poetry Day
at the Poetry Café
London, England (guest poet: Andrew Motion)
6th October 2005
The Purple Poets
Bloomsbury Workshop
The Purple Poets' workshop was founded in 2005
as part of a London-wide Time Bank poetry group scheme
funded by the Lottery with a grant from The Arts Council.
The Founding members were all members of
The Third Age Project, The Crypt, Munster Square.
The Purple Poets' supporters over the years have included
Kim Morrissey and Tony Bloor, The West Euston Time Bank , The
Carnegie Trust,
City Bridge Trust, The Third Age Project, and the new economics
foundation.
The Purple Poets were funded May 2005 - August
2010
by the West Euston Time Bank
and are now hosted by the Bloomsbury Workshop.
Every first Friday in October,
Purple Poets and Friends gather at the Camden Town Hall
Council Chamber
to read Postcard Poems on the National Poetry Day theme
to the Mayor of Camden.
The Purple Poets
are inspired by the Co-operative movement
and Edgar Cahn's Four Core Values
1. We treat people as assets.
We support the positive actions people can
and want to do for their community.
2. We are re-defining work
Regardless of the task,
everyone's time is valued equally
we value whatever it takes to make
neighbourhoods safe and vibrant.
3.We reciprocate.
We require that everyone gives something back
ensuring all in our society have the opportunity
to be involved in their community.
4. We support the development of social networks.
These require ongoing investments of social capital
generated by trust, reciprocity and civic engagement.
Edgar Cahn's values also inspire founding UK time bank, Fair Shares Gloucestershire
www.fairshares.org.uk
and other local time banks.
Membership is free.
The Purple Poets
Bloomsbury Workshop
to contact the Purple Poets for readings:
by mail: c/o: Patsy Futatsugi
Flat 18,
9 Chenies Street Chambers
Bloomsbury WC1P 7ET
by e-mail: c/o Ferdous Rahman
rahmanferdous AT hotmail.co.uk
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